CHP shuts down San Francisco freeway offramps in Mission after 49ers beat Lions
Caltrans and CHP have closed multiple freeway offramps in San Francisco Sunday night after the end of the NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions.
The move was aimed at discouraging people from coming into San Francisco to celebrate after a 49ers victory that would find the team returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2020.
The offramps impacted were along the U.S. 101/Interstate 280 corridor in San Francisco starting at 7 p.m. and continuing until 12 a.m. The closure started shortly after the game being held at Levi's Stadium ended. The offramp closures will prevent people from getting off the freeway at the exits closes to the Mission District.
The offramps closed are as follows:
- US-101 northbound and southbound Cesar Chavez St. offramp
- US-101 northbound Mission St./Duboce St. offramp
- I-280 northbound San Jose Ave. offramp
- I-280 northbound and southbound Geneva Ave offramp
Caltrans and CHP are working with the San Francisco Police Department to assist the city with the closures. Drivers are advised to be aware of the planned closures and use alternate routes to avoid likely traffic congestion during the designated period.
San Francisco police additionally said that they were working with those agencies and San Francisco Muni to limit traffic along Mission and Valencia between 21st and 27th "in the interest of public safety."
At 6 p.m., Muni closed 24th Street between Potrero and Valencia, and Mission Street between Cesar Chavez Street and 21st Street.
Bus service was rerouted on the 14 Mission and 14R Mission Rapid, 27 Bryant, 48 Quintara/24th Street, 49 Van Ness/Mission and 67 Bernal Heights, Muni said.
The San Francisco Fire Department confirmed shortly after 9:30 p.m. that there was a vehicle collision between two vehicles that shut down westbound Caesar Chavez between Alabama and Bryant. Video shared on X showed a red Prius with front-end damage and a second vehicle on its side.
Officials did not say whether there were injuries related to the accident.
Police and CHP lifted the street and exit ramp closures late Sunday night.
Authorities used a similar tactic when the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA finals, closing I-80 exits to keep Warriors fans from swarming the area around the Chase Center after the team's Game 6 win.
